Watsonville / Pajaro Neighborhood Newsletter for Friday, January 9

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Good morning! It’s January 9 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…

Watsonville / Pajaro news

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Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region

• A dead deer was found on the right side of the westbound lane at the intersection of Aromas Rd and San Juan Rd, likely hit by a vehicle. Authorities were notified for routine removal. The incident was reported today.
   
• There is a one-way traffic closure on South Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley because of emergency work. The closure is expected to end at 3:59 p.m. on April 1.
   

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Property development

• The Santa Cruz County Planning Department has received a zoning application for a project at No Situs – Dairy Road, proposing the drilling of a new agricultural well on parcel 052-181-18. This new well is intended to replace an existing well on parcel 052-181-20, which was condemned in anticipation of a water recharge project. The replacement well will serve approximately 140 acres of commercial farmland, primarily used for strawberries and leafy greens, and will not result in increased water use or a change in the current agricultural operations. The project involves both the destruction of the old well and the installation of the new one, which is planned to be 350 feet deep with a 22-inch diameter casing. Water conservation practices, including drip irrigation, are already in place. Approval of the project requires a Coastal Development Permit. (view application)
   

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Property code violations

County officials cite property owners for issues such as substandard housing, illegal uses of buildings, property maintenance, abandoned appliances or furniture, construction without permits, and other issues that affect public safety and quality of life.

• A code violation notice has been issued for the property at 1120 Whiskey Hill Rd, Watsonville 95076-9646, under case number NV25325, processed on 12/30/2025. The violation concerns the conversion of an existing barn into a 2-bedroom dwelling without obtaining the necessary building permits or approvals from the County of Santa Cruz. Local building codes require that any change of use or residential conversion, such as this barn-to-dwelling project, must go through proper permitting and inspection processes to ensure safety and compliance. The lack of permits for this conversion constitutes a violation of these regulations.
   

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New local businesses

• A new business named CAICA TRUCKING was registered at 416 E Lake Ave., Watsonville CA 95076 on December 22. The business was registered by Arturo Barajas as an individual business.
   
• A new business named ENHANCED BY DREAA was registered at 444 Airport Blvd. Ste 101, Watsonville CA 95076 on December 26. The business was registered by Andrea Rocha-rocha as an individual business.
   
• A new business named SUENO BOOKS was registered at 724 Hill Ave., Watsonville CA 95076 on December 26. The business was registered by Sarah Diaz-bastin as an individual business.
   

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Restaurant inspections

County officials regularly inspect food facilities to ensure compliance with state laws. Here, Lookout Santa Cruz reports both those who have passed the inspections and those that the county deems to have a “major” issue. The county’s full ongoing report can be accessed here.

• Sushi Qu at 952 E Lake Ave., Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 23 with no critical issues.
   
• Fruition Brewing at 918 E Lake Ave., Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 26 with no critical issues.
   
• The Home Depot #1069 at 355 S Green Valley Rd, Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 29 with no critical issues.
   

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Community crime report

• A person was arrested for resisting and attacking a police officer, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol. The incident happened near the 1200 Block of Main St. in Watsonville at 8 p.m. on December 23. (source)
   
• A person was stopped for a traffic violation and arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended license, and having an open container in the car. This happened near the 700 Block of Main St., Watsonville, at 5 p.m. on December 23. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for violating a criminal protective order. The incident happened near the 600 Block of Heather Dr, Watsonville, at 11 a.m. on December 23. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for outstanding misdemeanor warrants near the 1800 Block of Main St., Watsonville at 9 a.m. on December 23. The individual was cited and released at the scene without further incident. (source)
   

Note on today’s report: Some of the incidents listed are not recent. This can happen for a couple of reasons: Delays in agency reporting — sometimes officials don’t file reports right away, or agencies release batches of reports weeks later. Delays in public complaints — people may not notice or decide to contact police until some time after an incident. Please contact the responsible law-enforcement agency or your local elected officials if you have concerns about their delay in releasing information.

Disclosure: Traffic incidents, property development updates, code violations and police incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.